So what did everybody think of this challenge? Do the competitors not do a dry run of their cakes anymore? It seems like there are more surprises for them during the challenge than there used to be. Poor Norm and his Sully cake! If he'd tested it out ahead of time, he would've realized how long it would take to pipe on all that fur!

Oh man i missed it. i will watch it on wed. they alway give the re-run on wed night.

i wished i would of seen it.

shaddi

Our freakin' power was out for 4 hours so my recording didn't work. Thanks for letting me know it runs again on Wed. will set up a new recording, (I love Rattitoule) can't wait to see it!!

But when he stopped and shook out his hand, I sympathized with him as I've done that tip before and it takes soooo long for that effect.

I think most of them say they 'try' to do a dry run, but if they have business', some of them say they have no time to try it out.

I didn't get to see it either! BUT did record it and will watch it in JULY when I'm able to sit down for longer than 20 minutes at a time! LOL

Beth

It was cool. Some very awesome cakes. I was hoping for Orlando though. Yeah, it was a bummer when the one cake fell. That had to suck. To be able to have that talent to do it in seven hours is amazing.

Mike

I thought Norm handled it very well. I can't imagine the kind of pressure they're under. I thought Orlando's cake was awesome, too!

I was sweating for all of them this time and was surprised at the lack of planning. I understand the height requirement but it seems like sometimes it forces them into designs that seem unnatural.

Orlando's was my fav. The Nemo cake was good too but I thought flick was much better and more creative.
Poor Jorge, he did not do well this time. His Toy story guys were terrible. I was routing for him because his shop is right down the street from me.
Jen...

The challenges seem to be getting tougher and the time allotment just doesn't seem to be enough for the competitors to produce completed cakes.

I thought all the cakes were great. I felt so bad for Norm, but he was so great about it. Sulley looked wonderful before he fell, I loved the Nemo cake and the Bugs life cake, those were the best!

I was disappointed in Jorge's cake, the bed was too tall and the characters just didn't have the attention they needed.
Poor norman, I loved how sully looked and the stacked characters were cute, too bad they wouldn't hold though. His door I thought was very poorly though about.
Nemo was ok but I though flick deserved a little more attention but they were so much fun to watch!

i had no idea that there was another cake challenge!! i love that show-the last one i saw was the disney villians-i thought cruella would win but i loved captian hook too-it's so hard to pick i'm glad i'm not a judge. i'll definately watch the rerun on wednesday (plus i can never seem to stay up that late-here they're on at 11pm!!)

I too was disappointed that Orlando didn't win. I so thought his was much better than the Nemo one. But I guess that doese show that bigger is not always better. I think the judges were right when talking to Jorg about how it should be about the details, not the size.

I'm glad that Courtney won since her bakery and mine both did a charity event last year. She's amazing and her Nemo cake was adorable. I have to say that I thought that the Bug's Life cake was the best, though. The "spinning" Flick and his pulled sugar telescope had me won over!

norm was at the mid-atlantic cake show, and kept hinting at JUNE 1ST DISASTER SOMETHING TEAL, so i couldn't wait to watch it. his cake was really cool before the DISASTER SOMETHING TEAL.

I thought it was a good show, however, I think so many of these decorators have it their heads that it's THEIR time to win so they don't take the proper preporations and planning and they are suprised when their stuff falls, doesn't work etc. I am ready to see new faces in the challenges.

I'm with Zoomitoons! I would love to see new faces! There are sooooo many talented cake decorators (especially on CC) who would be fun to watch. I wonder how they're chosen??? I hope the next one has new faces on it (as long as it's not mine---There's no risk there since I'm not nearly good enough, but if I were I'd NEVER do it!!!! Too much pressure!!!!!).

It was amazing to watch but I agree with the judges decision. Courtney's work was by far the cleaniest and her characters were spot on!

I felt so bad for Norm! Just him "hugging" his fallen Sully cake... and then being covered in blue frosting!!!

I thought the Nemo one was the best looking overall.... really, if they were supposed to involve the attraction at Disney World in their design, then the Flick cake really failed in not having the animals carved into the tree. That's the neatest part about the attraction to me - all of the cool animals carved into the tree. Not saying that it would be easy to do or anything, but he could have possibly focused on the tree and flick and maybe not had as many characters.... although I think the Nemo cake won too b/c it had so many characters from the movie and attraction on it.... it really covered all of the bases best. Although I do agree Flick was cool and the fact that he spun and had the sugar telescope was really cool... although the sugar telescope should have had a water bubble at the end to really be accurate A clear sugar bubble maybe? (I don't have the first clue about sugar work).

I missed the setup for the challenge though - so maybe I missed something about the requirements and such. I was amazed at how bad some of the fondant work looked - it looked like it was cracking on several of the cakes in several places... it just didn't look smooth and finished. Not that mine ever does, but I'm not a professional. I'd LOVE to see what these people could do when given enough time - like maybe a week or so and then they could come and present their creations. Not quite as exciting as a challenge, but I'd like to see what they could do with more time.

Has Norm Davis won any of the challenges he has competed in yet? There have been so many that they've become a blur to me.

Theresa

I had to keep reminding myself to breath during this whole thing (lol). I felt bad for Norm, too! The poor man. I've seen his other competition cakes and he's sooo good, it's just heart breaking when something like this happens. I was so looking forward to seeing the end product - I'm sure he would have won if he had been able to execute it.

And I felt for Courtney, too. I don't think I would have held my composure as well as she did. I think I would have slinked off backstage and cried! But hey, she did good.

Norm Davis won a birthday surprise one - his cake was a 'jungle theme'. I want to say he won another one too, but I don't remember.

I watched the challange.....it always amazes me at the size and complexity of the cakes for such a short time of decorating........

I was thinking, like GeminiRJ said....don't they time these out ahead of time? But I guess you can make only so many test runs at it. . I really felt bad for Norm.....but I don't know..standing cakes on their side????? I would think he had tested that out ahead of time.

That's why they are where they are....they take chances, they have so much talant and they do make mistakes....gather themselves together and go on.....I think we have all felt like Courtney did , many times.. wanting to throw something in frustration.....but you take a deep breath and go on........

It's always a great show.....Always something to learn........

I love watching what these decorators can come up with. I wish that the format would change, though. I'm not sure exactly how, but like playingwithsugar said, they're getting to be a blur. Maybe some new requirements? I know it's the cookie fanatic in me, but I'd like to see a different challenge with decorated cookies. I know they've done cupcakes before...

I love watching the cake challenges, but even with the few I've caught it seems like it's basically the same people. I think they should cut back on the big names and get some of the talented "little knowns" on there for some real challenges. There's an enormous list of talented decorators out there.

And yes GeminiRJ , I agree, let's see some cookie action going on there!! I'm interested!!!

I was a little disappointed too in this challenge. The designs were so awesome and it would've been great to have seen each one of them completed. I can't imagine being in that kind of stress though. It's one thing when something doesn't go right in your own kitchen vs having it happen in front of nationwide viewers. But I love watching the competitors in action and seeing the beautiful designs that they bring to life.
What I would love to see on T.V. is a cake-decorator version of Bravo's Top Chef. Haven't we all fantisized about owning our own cake shop? I think we should send in our suggestions and see if it comes to life. I'd love to compete, even if I got booted out on the first episode.

You're so right! How cool to meet those celebrity judges. Ok, now all we need is for a bunch of us to write to Bravo and get their attention. Calling all CCers. Let's get this going

On the subject of practice cakes, I know I gained my highest respect for Duff the day I heard him say, during one of the challenges: "Practice cake! who's got time for practice cakes! I've got a business to run!"

Being a person who could NEVER be in the same category as these fabulous decorators, I hate to say I liked one over the others because I don't want it to sound like "the others" weren't good ... and they were all fabulous!!

But my favorite was the spinning flick!!